Turkish Volleyball Queens Ready for European Championship: 'We Are Aware of How Strong We Are'

The Turkish women's national volleyball team, known as the "Filenin Sultanları" (Sultans of the Net), is set to begin their title defense at the Trendyol 2026 European Women's Volleyball Championship. Their first match is scheduled for Friday against Latvia.

The team completed their final preparations with an open practice session at the Sinan Erdem Sports Hall in Istanbul. Before the practice, Turkish Volleyball Federation President Mehmet Akif Üstündağ, head coach Daniele Santarelli, and team captain Eda Erdem addressed the media.

“

We have a team with the capacity to win the championship. We want to experience this happiness once again in front of our own fans.

Üstündağ emphasized the team's awareness of their responsibility as the reigning champions. "We have a team with the capacity to win the championship. The pool of talent is growing every day. We want to experience this happiness once again in front of our own fans," he stated, expressing no doubt in the team's ability to bring joy to the country. He also invited fans to the venue and matches, highlighting the organization's world-class standards and the strong support from sponsors.

“

We have a very difficult group. We think it will be a tough tournament from start to finish. I hope we can go all the way.

Head coach Santarelli anticipates a challenging tournament, noting the team will play many matches if they advance. "We have a very difficult group. We think it will be a tough tournament from start to finish. I hope we can go all the way," he said. He also commented on the team's current condition, mentioning the positive energy brought by captain Eda Erdem and the potential of Derya Cebecioğlu, especially in offense and providing rotation for star player Vargas.

The championship, co-hosted by Czechia, Azerbaijan, and Sweden, begins Friday and concludes on September 3. The team aims to replicate their past success on home soil.

“

Eda Erdem is the captain of this team. She brings a lot of energy to us. It makes the team feel complete.